For centuries, olive oil has been used in countless ways for its health benefits both as a food and as a beauty product. Now one modern-day company called Olivita Artisans is spreading the olive-oil-goodness with their line of hand-crafted skin and haircare products made from 100% virgin olive oil and natural essential oils for scent. I got try out two of their products, the Blissful Green Apple soap and the Virgin Olive Oil Pure Aegean Bath and Body Gel. Here's how it went...
What they say: Virgin Olive Oil Beauty Bar with Blissful Green Apple essence ($5.99): While cleaning your skin, Olivita artisan soaps will enrich it with olive oil antioxidants vitamin E, Beta Carotene, nurturing a healthy and glowing look. Olivita artisan soaps are hand crafted in small batches by a seasoned soap artist, in our studios in the historical Ephesus region, using a simple ancient recipe. From the evergreen olive trees of Mediterranean, finest quality virgin olive oil is combined with delicate natural essences for your ultimate indulgence.
Virgin Olive Oil Pure Aegean Bath & Body Gel ($14.99): A delicate and natural blend to improve your skin’s natural oil balance, Olivita Bath & Shower Gel made with virgin olive oil and spring water to help improve your skin’s natural balance, leaving it with smooth and hydrate finish. Olivita Bath & Shower Gel made in small batches in our studios in Ephesus region of Mediterranean, few miles away from where ancient poet Homer referred olive oil as “liquid gold”.
What I thought: The first thing that struck me about Olivita is the beautiful packaging - all soaps are wrapped and packed by women in the Ephesus region of the Mediterranean, where the soaps are made. Income earned by the women helps them pursue their education in evening schools, per the press materials. So right there, I'm a fan.
Beyond being a socially conscious company, Olivita makes an amazing product. Both the bar soap and the gel are mild, moisturizing and luxurious. Olivita soaps are simply saponified olive oil. They have the most subtle scents, too. Normally you'd expect a soap with "green apple" fragrance to smell like a Jolly Rancher, but not so with Olivita. In fact you won't even detect the smell unless you really get your nose close to the lather. Personally, I love this! And the fragrance doesn't linger, either. For some reason, the soaps remind me of Spain - another place whose history is arguably intertwined with olive oil - and the types of soaps you'd find at quaint B&Bs and hotels, especially in the south. Anything that transports me to the south of Spain is a winner in my book.
Another reason I love this soap? My husband likes it too! The packaging makes it "gender neutral" if you will, so everyone can use it. I also recommended this soap to my mom because she has sensitive skin and normal soaps can dry it out. I'm thinking Olivita would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift. The soaps are also gentle enough for a baby's skin, too, so I'm going to ration them until my baby arrives!
The bottom line: Olivita soaps have everything going for them - they're affordable, socially conscious, natural, vegan, contain no chemical preservatives and are 100% cruelty-free. And above all, they make a great soap. This is something I could see Oprah including in her "Favorite Things" round up. The brand carries a range of other products and scents, so definitely give them a look.